Sep Ancient Art & Paintings & Collectibles
Lot 158:
Description
29*10*20cm
Bronze sculpture of an Irish Setter by the French master Pierre-Jules M??ne. A founding figure of the French animalier school and a leading artist of the 19th-century Paris Salon, he specialised in realistic bronze depictions of horses, hounds and beasts. He ranks among the most collectible masters of European hunting-subject bronzes. The signature of this piece is located beneath the front paw on the base.Modelled after an Irish Setter, the hound strides slowly across hunting terrain with its front paws resting upon rock. The work perfectly captures the alert, composed and lively demeanour before a hunt, brimming with natural vitality. The flow of every strand of fur follows the musculature and bone structure, creating powerful light and shadow depth. The muscular lines of the chest, shoulders and hindquarters are rendered realistically, faithfully reproducing the robust, streamlined physique of a sporting hound with naturally undulating underlying bone.The master’s consummate sculpting technique appears effortless, balancing solid form and subtle voids to achieve full, lifelike realism. It is a rare museum-quality example of 19th-century French animalier bronze sculpture. Well preserved overall, with minor, normal signs of age. Its natural patina enhances its antique character.
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